Take this letter I received from Jon, who writes: "Why shouldn't a job seeker take control of the process? Why shouldn't I begin an interview by asking the employer to tell me why I should come to work there? Shouldn't I be allowed to speak to other employees to get a clear picture of working conditions? I've worked for my share of jerks. Why can't I confront an interviewer and suggest they prove their company doesn't tolerate this behavior and that they offer a professional, productive non-abusive environment?"

Another worker told me recently that he'd been blacklisted because of his last employer. He was having trouble getting interviews because the company had such a bad reputation for how they trained their people that other firms didn't want anything to do with him. So, you can't blame people for getting testy.

As a job hunter, you should be choosy about what company you align yourself with. Prior to the recent string of scandals, when it came to checking out a company, most people didn't do much more than look at financial data--even though corporate stock and accounting scandals are nothing new.

This latest round was "preceded by the Michael Milken 'junk bond financing' scandals in the late 1980s and early 90's, the 'Savings and Loan' scandals earlier in the 80's and a long list of sorry tales over the years," says Gilbert Dwyer, associate dean and director of business programs at Wheeling Jesuit University and a former CEO.

Can you be assured that it won't happen at the company you go to work for? No. But you should still take more control over the interview process. You need to start asking about integrity, culture, leadership and values. But it's a matter of timing.

The first interview is still a meeting where you want to make a good impression and, since the company holds the cards, ingratiate yourself so they'll want to continue the conversation. Starting off by demanding to know why you should work there is a bit harsh.

At a later point you could ask, "What makes your company a good place to work?" Later in the process-when you've been back for a second or third interview-you can ask if it's possible to speak with other employees. They may not be open to it, but you can ask.

It's also a matter of how you ask your questions. I wouldn't confront anyone for proof about how they treat people. You can dig around, though. Ask if they have a code of ethics. Or how workers can confidentially voice issues of concern. If they can tell you--and how they answer--will tell you a lot.

Interviewers want to know similar things about you. But if they came out and said, "Give me proof that you will be professional, productive and non-abusive," you'd probably be taken aback. More likely, they'd say something like this: "We have situations where our customers can be difficult. Have you ever dealt with difficult people and can you tell me how you handled it?"

Ask all your appropriate questions at the right time. And when you walk through the office, notice how people seem. Are they up? Do they smile at you? Is there low energy in the place? Weigh all this and make a decision as to whether the company is the right environment.

It's always been your responsibility to take control over this part of the process. But most job seekers never do their part-that is ask questions to explore whether the company's values are aligned with theirs. The good news is because of all the bad news, now they might.

© by Andrea Kay